Born in Paris in 1922 to British parents, he first became a clapperboard boy for a French studio, before becoming an assistant director for revered helmsman Sir Carol Reed, working on movies like 'The Third Man’ with Orson Welles.

After making films like war thriller 'The Colditz Story’ with Sir John Mills, and 'The Devil’s Disciple’ with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster, he was approached to direct 'Dr. No’ in 1962, but turned the offer down.

Undeterred, Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman signed him up to direct 'Goldfinger’ two years later, the first Bond film to win an Oscar – for its sound – and the first of four Bond films Hamilton would make.

He went on to direct 'Diamonds Are Forever’ in 1971, 'Live And Let Die’ in 1973 and 'The Man With The Golden Gun’ in 1974.

He also helmed Harry Palmer movie 'Funeral In Berlin’ with Michael Caine, and the star-laden war movies 'The Battle of Britain’ with Sir Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson, and 'Force 10 From Navarone’ in 1978, with Robert Shaw, Edward Fox and Harrison Ford.

He was also approached to make both the 1978 'Superman’ movie – which then went to Richard Donner – and a big screen version of 'Batman’, which he declined. It was later made by Tim Burton in 1989.

His final film before his retirement was heist movie 'Try This One For Size’ in 1989, with Michael Brandon and David Carradine.

Hamilton was married to the actress Naomi Chance up to her death in 2003.